Combination driller&#39;s and pump seal



July 23, 1957 H. A. SAUTHOFF 2,

COMBINATION DRILLERS AND PUMP SEAL Filed Nov. 18. 1954 2 Shets-Sheetl manna-i lNVENTOR a HAROLD A.SAUTHOFF AT TOR NEYS July 23, 1957 H. A. SAUTHOFF 2,

COMBINATION DRILLERS AND PUMP SEAL 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed NOV. 18. 1954 INVEN TOR HAROLD A.SAUTHOFF ATTORNEYS United States Patent This invention appertains to seals for casings and more particularly to a novel removable cap for effectively closing and sealing the upper end of a well casing.

One of the primary objects of my invention is the pro vision of a well casing seal embodying a novel upper cap plate for fitting over the upper end of a well casing and a lower plate having integral depending bosses provided with internally threaded sockets for receiving adjusting screws carried by the upper plate for drawing the plates toward one another, upon the tightening of the screws, with the plates so formed as to compress and then circumferentially bulge a sealing gasket into intimate contact with the inner face of the casing upon the adjusting of the plates toward one another.

Another salient object of my invention is the provision of a well casing seal so constructed and formed as to initially function as a drillers seal for the casing prior to pump installation and thereafter function as a seal for the casing with the pump installed.

A further object of my invention is the provision of a combination well drillers seal and pump installation seal for well casings embodying a normally solid upper cap plate and a divided lower plate with a gasket therebetween for temporarily sealing a well casing after the drilling of the well, the upperfplate being weakened diametrically and provided with thin knock-out plugs, whereby the upper plate can be readily split into like halves and the plugs knocked out, whereby the device can be used as a pump installation seal for receiving the electric conduit, pump pipe and air vent pipe.

A further important object of my invention is the provision of a novel gasket foruse with the combination se'al, the gasket being of such 'a construction that the same can be easily divided and treated forforming an efficient seal for pump installations. a

A still further object of my invention is to provide a novel well casing seal of the above character, which will be durable-and efficient in use, one that will be simple and easy to manufacture and one which can be readily applied to acasing. 7 p 7 With these and other objects in view, the invention consis'ts in the novel construction, arrangement and formatially cap plate removed, to more particularly illustrate the novel gasket, the gasket being shown partly broken away;

Figure 6 is a top plan view of the lower plate; Figure 7 is a bottom plan view of the upper plate, and Figure 8 is a view similar to Figure 3, but showing the device in use as a casing and pump installation seal with the upper plate split in half and the removable sections knocked out for receiving and sealing pump appliances.

Referring to the drawings in detail, wherein similar reference characters designate corresponding parts throughout the several views, the letter S generally indicates a well drillers seal embodying the broad principles of my invention and this-seal includes an upper cap plate 10 and a lower plate 11. l

The upper plate 10, in this form of my invention is of a solid construction and is provided on its lower face with an annular groove 12 for receiving the upper end of a well casing 13 and an annular sea-ling gasket 14 perferably formed from rubber or an equivalent resilient compressible material. Formed in the upper plate at desired points are vertically extending openings 15 for receiving bolts 16, the lower ends of which are threaded for a purpose which vvill later appear. If desired, the plate 10 can be reinforced around the openings 15 at best shown in Figure 2 of the drawings.

The lower plate 11 is also of a solid construction and has formed on its periphery an annular rim 1? the outer surface of which is beveled, as at 13, to form an inclined seat forthe gasket 14. Formed on the lower face of the plate 11 are depending internally threaded bosses 19 and these bosses correspond in number to the openings 15 and are adapted to vertically align with the openings to receive the lower threaded ends of the bolts 16.

. In use of this seal, the bolts 16 are turned outwardly so that the lower plate 11 loosely engages the gasket 14 so that the lower plate and the gasket can'be freely in serted within the casing 13 and after the upper cap plate 10 receives the upperedge of the casing, the bolts 16 are tightened so as to draw the lower plate ll toward the upper plate 10. This brings about the transverse compression of the gasket 14 and the lower edge of the gasket riding on the beveled or inclined face 18 is forced outwardly into intimate sealing contact with the inner surface of the casing, bringing about the effective sealing of the well. Due to the resilient compressible nature of the gasket, the same tends to bulge outwardlycircumferenand this increases the sealing engagement of the gasket with the casing. t

Particular stress is laid on the fact that the upper plate 10 'is in the nature of a cap for the casing and that the bosses 19 have their lower ends completely closed which prevents the dropping of foreign matter into the well tion of parts, as will be hereinafter more specifically describedjandgclaimed and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which drawings,

Figure 1 is a top plan view of a well drillers seal embodying the principles of my invention, parts of the figure being shown broken away and in section;

Figure 2 is a diametric sectional view taken on the line 2-2 of Figure 1, looking in the direction of the arrows;

Figure 3 is a top plan view showing my combination well drillers seal and pump installation seal, the device being used as a well drillers seal, parts of the figure being shown away and in section;

Figure 4 is a diametric sectional view illustrating the seal shown in Figure 3;

through the bosses.

t In this type of casingscal, the same can be modified slightly to form a solid pump installation seal, and in this'instanee the upper and lower plates 10 and 11 are provided with aligned openings to receive various pump parts,"jsuch asthe well pump pipe, the electric conduit portion 22 having formed on its inner surface an annular groove 23, for receiving the upper end of a well casing 24 and the upper edge of a sealing gasket 25. The plate 20 is weakened diametrically by a groove 26 on its upper face and a similar groove 27 on its lower face. Also formed in the lower face of the plate are circular shaped depressions 28, 29 and 30, and these depressions are arranged in alignment diametrically across the plate and form .seats for parts of the gasket 25, as willrlater'appear. The deep depressions 28 and 3t) communicate with the groove 23 by straight branch grooves 31, which also weaken the plate diametrically. At this time, it is to be noted that the annular rim defined by the groove 23 on opposite sides of the plate is notched, as at 32, to in effect form a continuation of the groove 27, so as to further weaken the plate. The depressions 23 and Y29 are connected by deep branch grooves 33 which also weaken the plate and the depressions 29 and 30 merge together at their peripheries. The deep depressions 28, 29 and 30 define thin plug like disc-shaped sections 34 and 35 and 36, and these sections are weakened by annular grooves 37. By referring to Figure 3, it can be seen that the upper surface of the plate is also depressed to further define the thin disc-shaped plug like sections. The purpose of the depressions and the weakening of the top plate will be hereinafter more fully described. On each side of the weakening grooves 26 and 27 the plate is provided with pairs of openings 38 for receiving headed machine bolts 39 and these bolts have their lower ends provided with screw threads.

The lower plate 21 includes a pair of companion like half sections 4! and 41, and the peripheral edges of these sections are beveled, asat 42, to provide an inclined seat for the lower edge of the rim of the gasket 25, as best shown in Figure 3. The lower face of the plate 21, has formed thereon on each section thereof, a pair of depending internally threaded bosses 43, which are in alignment with the openings 38 for receiving the lower threaded ends of the bolts 39. The meeting edges 40', 41' of the plate sections 40 and 41 have formed therein semi-circular notches 44 which define, when the'plate sections are placed edge to edge, openings 45 for pump installation parts, and the edges of the semi-circular notches are beveled to form seats for certain parts of the gasket 25, as will appear. The meeting edges of the sections 49 and 41 :on Opposite sides of the semi-circular notches 44 are also beveled, as at 46, for engaging parts of the gasket.

The gasket 25 includes an annular rim 47 and a diametrically extending rib 48 joining the rim 47 and this rib 48 includes three joining circular portions which are adapted to seat in the circulardepressions 28, 29 and 30 in the upper cap plate 2%). The rib 48 is divided centrally by a slit 49 which extends entirely through the rib but terminates short of the rim 47. The gasket can be easily divided in companion half sections by utilizing a sharp knife to split the rim in :the edges of the slit 49. If preferred, removable plugs (not shown) can be initially left in the circular portions of the rib 48.

In use of the cap C, initially the upper cap plate 20 is left in its solid state, as is the gasket 25,. and the upper and lower plates 20 and 21 with the gasket 25 are loosely held together by the screws 39. The cap is now inserted in the well casing 24 with the upper plate 20 covering the upper edge of the casing and the screws 39 are tightened so as to force the gasket outwardly into sealing engagement with the inner wall of the casing. Thus the cap functions as an efiicient seal for the well after the drilling thereof.

When the time arrives to install the pump, the cap is removed from the casing and the upper plate 20 is split in its companion halves on the weakened lines 26 and 27 and at this time the weakened disc like portions 34, 35 and 36 are also removed by breaking the same along the weakened lines 37. The gasket 25 is also cutand the plugs in the gasket are also removed. The plate sections and the gasket sections are now fitted snugly around the pump appliances extending into the well, such as the pump pipe, the electric conduit and the air vent pipe, and the cap is inserted in the casing. Upon the tightening of the screws 39, the sections of the plate 21 will be brought toward the sections of the plate 20 and the gasket will be expanded not only against the inner face of the well casing but tightly against the pipes and the electric conduit.

From the foregoing description, it can be seen that I have provided a novel cap and seal for well casings which will be extremely durable and efi'icient in use and one which will bring about a positive seal.

Changes in details may be made without departing from the spirit or the scope of this invention, but what I claim as new is:

A combination drillers well cap and pump installation seal for well casings comprising, an upper plate having an annular groove in its lower face for receiving the upper edge of a well casing, said plate being weakened on a diametric line whereby the same can be split in companion halves, the plate being also provided with circular depressions along said weakened lines with said depressions further weakened by annular grooves defining disc-shaped knock-out portions to provide openings for installations extending into the well casing, a lower plate of a less diameter than the upper plate having an inclined seat on its periphery and said lower plate including companion half sections with semi-circular notches on the meeting edges of the half sections with the walls of the notches inclined to define seats, a compressible gasket interposed between the upper and lower-plates weakened along a diametrically extending line todefine separable half sections, with each half section including a rim fitted on the inclined seat and semi-circular diametrically extending ribs fitted on the inclined edges of said notches, and means for drawing the lower plate toward the upper plate, said annular groove in said upper plate also providing space for the reception of the upper outer periphery of said gasket.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 303,558 Campbell Aug. 12, 1884 857,582 Boyle June 25, 1907 2,237,680 Mark Apr. 8, 1941 2,681,816 Smith June 22, 1955 FOREIGN PATENTS 808,830 France Nov. 24. 1936 

